Water-tube boiler



(No Model.)

J. WOOD, Jr.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

No. 408,060. Patented July 30, 1889.

$2522??? Inventor. @Z 5M i'yii Q m PETERS, i'hcwLflhogripher, Washinion. Due,

' UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICB JOHN \VOOD, JR, OF CONSHOHOOKEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-TUBE BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,060, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed March 12, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN \VOOD, J11, a citizen of the United States, residing at (,lonshohocken, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Tube Boilers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This i nvention relates to that class of steamboilers known as water-tube boilers-that is, boilers in which. the water circulates through the tubes instead of the products of combustion; and it has for its object to provide a boiler of this class in which theinterior and exterior of the steam-drum, the end cylinders, and the tubes forming the boiler proper maybe readily and easily accessible for the purpose of cleaning or repairing the same; and it consists of a steam-drum located above the tubes and connected by cylindrical necks with the cylinder-heads at each end of the boiler, said heads being constructed as hereinafter described, and provided with openings adapted to be closed by man-hole plates or covers, as is also the drum, and in other details of construction, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, and having one of the inclosing-walls broken away, of my improved boiler; Fig. 2, an enlarged vertical section through one of the cylinders; and Fig. 3, a detail view of the tube-sheet.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throu ghout the several views.

A represents the tube-cylinders, which are made up of the bodies or shells a, and the convex heads I) and tube-sheets c, the bodies being riveted to the flanges a of the convex heads and the flanges c of the tube-sheets, as clearly shown in the drawings. The cylinders thus formed are of a size sutfieiently large to admit a man. within them through man-holes (1, formed in the convex heads, for the purpose of repairing or cleaning the tubes when necessary.

The man-holes (Z are covered by plates c, in each ofwhich a recess is formed to receive Serial No. 302,981. (No model.)

the head of a screw-bolt e, the outer end of which passes through an opening in a crossbar or bridge f, which cast integral with a ring of metal f forming the seat for the plate 0, and receives a nut 9, whereby the plate (2 may be drawn in place and securely held. In the tube-sheets c are drilled or otherwise formed holes 9, which are arranged in staggered series that is, each series of holes breaks joint with the contiguous series. In these holes the tubes B are inserted and expanded and their ends flared or beaded, so that they will retain their set position without rivets or other fastenings.

The boiler, made up as described, is supported by means of brackets 7i, rive-ted to the sides of the cylinders which rest on the setting of the brick-work O, as shown. In the upper sides of the cylinders are formed circular openings 7L, from which project necks D, the flanges of which are doubly riveted to the barrels of the cylinders around the edges of the openings.- These necks form the connection between the cylinders and the steam-drum E, said drum being made up of any desired number of plates in a circular form and having its ends formed of convex heads E, in one of w]rich-preferably the front enda man-hole is formed and provided with a plate F, cross-bar F, and bolt G, in all respects similar to those described in connection with the cylinders, through which access may be readily had to the interior of the drum. The flanges of necks D are double riveted to the under surface of the drum, at each end thereof, about the openings formed therein, so that the circulation between the boiler and steam-drum will be constant and perfect, The steam-drum is suitably supported on the brick-setting, and owing to the brackets 7r on cylinders A, forming the supports for the latter, all tensile strain is taken on of the necks G.

While I have described and shown one means for supporting the boiler, I do not wish to be restricted thereto, as it is evident the brick-work could be dispensed with and the boiler suspended from the top by means of side columns and girders or saddles to yokes riveted to the top of steam-drum directly under the saddles; or it may be set or hung in any other desirable or convenient manner.

In order to prevent the possibility of the cylinders from being blown off the tubes, I pass long stay-rods II through some of the tubessay four, arranged at equal distance from the centers of the tube-sheetsthe ends of said rods being formed wit-h solid crow-feet m, through which they may be securely riveted to the inner sides of the convex heads on each cylinder. The tubes B, owing to the manner in which they are secured in the tubesheets, also act as stays or braces to prevent the cylinders being blown off, thus forming a very strong and simply-constructed boiler, the cylinders of which are practically proof against being blown 01f their tubes.

The boiler and steam-drum are so set that their ends are exposed, the latter being, in the construction shown, of greater length than the boiler and projecting beyond the setting, thus giving ample storageroom for water and steam, while the boiler ends are protected by movable covers or doors 01, making said ends readily accessible when it is desired.

The boiler is set at an angle or on a slight incline, while the steam-drum is placed horizontal in the drawings, although they both may be horizontally arranged, if so desired.

K represents the front of the boiler-settin g, which may be of iron, and is provided with the fire-door J and ash and draft openings L.

M represents the grate in the fire-chamber.

O is the smoke-flue to the chimney and opens from the rear wall of the setting between the steam-drum and boiler proper in the rear of neck G on rear end, and is provided with a damper N. The steam-pipe from the boiler, and other usual parts, are not necessary to be described, as I make no claim thereto.

Owing to the peculiar arrangement and construction of my boiler, the circulation is perfect. The tubes being of comparatively small diameter and subject or exposed to the full force of the products of combustion, the water contained therein is rapidly converted into steam and a constant circulation maintained. The parts being subject to about the same heat throughout, there is no unequal expansion, and as there are no joints exposed. there will be no strain on them.

All that is required to be done when cleaning is actually necessary is simply to remove the man-hole plates at each end and ample access may be at once had to all the tubes. In other boilers of this type with which I am familiara great number of smallcaps or plugs have to be removed in order to gain access to the tubes, thus causing much annoyance, as well as expense and loss of time, while it is often found impossible to remove these caps or plugs.

The fire-chamber, as shown,is so constructed that the gases will ascend at an angle to thetubes and other parts of the boiler, and, passing up and down several times between the staggered tubes and around the cylinders and lower surface of steamdrum, are thus brought in contact with all the heating-surface. The fiame being broken or caused to travel in and out and around the tubes, owing to their staggered arrangement, will be more effective than when they are arranged one above the other, permitting the flame to directly ascend between them. It will thus be seen that with a given size of boiler the heatin g-surtace is greatly increased, because there is far less water to the square foot of heatingsurface exposed in this construction than when the flames pass through the tubes and the water surrounds them. Besides, a tube may be readily removed when necessary, owing to the man-holes, and another substituted without disturbing the boiler-setting.

Having thus described my invention, wh atl claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in the water-section of a steam-boiler, of the cylinders having convex heads provided with man-holes, the tube-sheet having holes drilled therein in staggered form, the tubes connecting said cylinders having their ends expanded in said holes, and brace-rods extending through the inner surfaces of said tubes and connected to said heads, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a steam-boiler, of the stea1n-drum,the cylinders having convex outer heads formed with man-holes in their centers, cover-plates for said man-holes, means for securing said plates to said convex heads, the inner tube-sheets having holes arranged in staggered series therein, tubular necks connecting said drum and cylinders, and a series of tubes having their ends expanded in said holes, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a steamdrum having a convex head provided with a manhole, a removable cover plate therefor, and means for securing said plate to said head, of a steam-boiler proper consisting of the barrel, the convex heads having man holes formed in the centers thereof, the removable plates for said man-holes, means for securing said plates to said heads, the tube-sheets forming the inner heads of said barrel and having holes arranged therein in staggered series, the tubes having their ends expanded in said holes and connecting said sheets, the stay-rods having crow-feet extending through a suitable number of said tubes and rigidly secured to the inner sides of said convex heads, and necks connecting said steam drum and boiler, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN IVOOD, JR.

lVitnesses:

HENRY M TRACY, ALFRED OXLEY.

IIO 

